Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1887-05-05
Senator Warner Miller Talks
or Politics and Public
Questions.
What the Distinguished New
Yorker Thinks Of the Tar
iR and the Surplus
sratesmaniike Views Upon the
Questions 81 Internal Inn
prosements. Steamship
Subsidies and For
eIan immigration.

- NA11AG8 D4Etbs03 u 0cG040f HUM
ths Empire State. upon The condition Of
Eational politics and upon ssme Of the
Questions that are nov dividing the two
grsat parties 81 the Nation, cannot fail
70 Be q interest. This b particularly
true when these views eoms from Q man
who combines, e does ex-senator Wss-
neF Miller, the elements Of . great po-
Htieal leader. Q successful man Of af-
fairs and Q ststssman.
Senator Miller was meestasing appa-
realty upon the uncertainties Of cur
sprinR weather. when be vas approached
yesterday afternoon By Q representative
Of tbs PosT-INTKLLIaKM0nR and aaked
II be would not say something for pab-
iieBtion upon NationAl Affairs
"Well," he replied, after short pause,
''if y0a think Of anything upon which
my Opinion wsuld be Of interest TO tbe
people Of Seattle, an 90 yOaT servics."
s'Of course, Senator, the question that
is now uppeTmost N the minds Of many
IL that Of the next Presidential eleotiOn
aud the chotoe Of candidates By the
Republicans and Democrats. IL seems
10 be generally agreed that New York IL
10 Be the great battle-ground, snd from
yoar position any opinion that yon
might express as to the relative
strength In that State Of the different
candidates woald be read vita in
seress."
snow you are trsaAine upon delicate
gsound." vas the smiling reply. 81
have uniformly rsfFained from express
ING any preference 20 far In advance for
aay Of the Republican leaders Who have
beea mentioned for that position. You
can readily see that IL would hardly be
wiss for me 10 do 20. have no reason
70 suppose that Mr.. Blaine wouId refuse
the nomination IL ID were rendered him
and be believed that his oandidaoy
would be for the best interests Of the
Republican party. No more do sup
ten uale8s he felt moderately sure Of an
election. More than this cannot say.
So far a. the Democrats are concerned,
see no reason for snpposing that Mr..
Cleveland will not be Fenomtnated II be
desires to be. he has behind him all
Of the National patronage, and by next
year Il is safe TO say that every otfics
Of Importance in the eoantry will
be hIled BY q Cleveland Democrat
Neither Governor Hill nor any other
man could hops 10 compete successfully
with this power. Moreover, | do NOT
think that Governor Hill would make
the attempt. Cleveland could GER
tainly divide the HeW York delega-
ton and this being 90, Hill would have
no chance for the nomination. II
Cleveland decides not 90 run, however
think very likely Hill will be n0mi-
mated There 10, know, much apparent
dissatisfaction with Cleveland among q
certain element of the Democratic party
in New Yerk. But this lie more apparent
than real. II be we're nominated ths
party would undoubtedly wheel into line
to man and support him. The next
Presidential election, however, will not
be contest Of men. but Of principles
At the last election the Democrats
stadIously avoided . discussion of tn.
one great issue before the country
Their Chicago platform was notoriously
ambiguous upon the tariff question anc
their leaders made no allusion Il
u duFirg the campaign. In 'S8 thii
issue will have to be met, and
have no hesitation In saying
that upon this issue the Republican
party will win. Capitalists and work
inRmen alike appreciate that the pros
perity of the country is due IN q Qreai
measure to protection, aud realize thai
Democratic ascsndency means free.
trade and Tuinous competition with ths
poorly paid labor Of Europe. The Re
publican theory and policy is TO pro
teot ell products that can be raised NJ
manufactured In our own country. w.
don't believe, however, in tariff upoE
that class Of goods which is net pro
duoed here. TIE Democrats who arr
olamorous for free raw materials seen
to forget that the Republioaa party
placed q large amount OF such ra1
materials upon the free list. Indeed
one-third Of the total amount of rAs
materials nov imported comes in free Of
| duty"
"Bat, Is IL net true, Senator, that is d
nov necessary in some way 10 Teduc.
our revenue % as to prevent q further
accumulation Of surplus money in lh'
tFeasaFyp
"Yes, l think that il is. Only $50,
600. 900 worth mere Of the three per GEM
bonds are nov outstanding. Wher
these are paid no more bonds
can be called until 1891. ualess the
Treasures goes into the market and pur,
ohasss bonds al their currena high valu-
alton and cancels them. This / am nol
IN favor Of, nor do think il necessary
/ should prefer 10 see the internal reve-
nue. tax on tobacco abolished and the
duty on sugar. The TAX on tobacco
au0unts TO &26. O00. 900 per annnm, and
The duty on sugar yields 9 revenue II
tAO.Ooo,0lo annually. IL has. think,
been sufficiently demonstrated that We
can never raise sugar ourselves 70 eny
amount, and 90 regard this as a tai
that might well be abolished. Sach Z
step would resalt 10 saving Of two OF
three cents q pound 70 the consumer
apon sugar. Then again. the men who
md connection between q protective
tariff and . surplus. do not understand
What they are discussing. II needs
little Argument 70 show that last 90 far
~ q tariff is protective it affords ne
revenns. II II aceomplishss its purpsse
u prevents the article upon which the
daty u ievisd from being imported and
%, Of course. prevents any revenue from
coming from u. Take the case Of iron
fer example. Suppose that the tariH
upon Il vas reduoed % that it afforded
no proteotlon 20 American manufac-
lureFs. The importation would b,
snoruo1sly increased and the rsvenus
that would accrue would also increass
In corresponding ratio. As tue tariff
now stands upon iron 10 protects ous
Manufacturers up to q certain point
boz when the prics rises beyond thai
point u becomes psodtable 30 import
iron, and - the price 10 kept down
We ell know that considerable iron 4
noU being imported. and Of ooprs.
sonae revenue IL being derived from IL
bat thia rsvenaa ts as nothing CON.
pared with Shat would be obtaiaed Il
the tarid vas not high enoRgh 10 b
protective.
Il am aware that even IL the tar or
tobacco and sugar vas abolished ~
would stili have . surplus. Bat this
iced not be q source Of annayspop
Ours " q great ana wealthy coautrx
And Il shosid have no difisuliy IN ana.
iHR peEfectly legitimate and proper wAvs
% expSndinR any Surplus tkat nav -
eEas. believe that . nation l. lie 4
corporation o. city. Whes times ate
good and business IL peospsrine, ve al
Know that oasiness men take The ouuor.
tnnity 10 sxpsnd large saaas OF money
n inprasinR their prorerfy. Iheae in.